


The Nile’s Sapphire

by Bespectacled_Owl



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arabian Nights Fusion, Anal Sex, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Oral Sex, there's some fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-13 21:38:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9143305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bespectacled_Owl/pseuds/Bespectacled_Owl
Summary: Arabian AU: Princess Gou has reached the age where she needs to be married, but Rin won't let their uncle force her to marry someone she doesn't love. A fateful meeting has Gou meeting an old flame, and Rin finally meeting the man he's had his eye's on since he was a child. A dinner at a friends turns out well for both of them, but not until after Kisumi gets the chance to mess with them a little.M/M smut- you have been forewarned.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kawaiiclare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kawaiiclare/gifts).



> I don't own any of these characters, just this piece of work. This fic was written for a group exchange so a special Happy New Years to Clare, I hope you like it! (Sorry I couldn’t make RinHaruGou happen for you, I had worked out a draft before I knew RinHaruGou was your preference. I wanted to write the best story I personally could for you, so I hope you don’t mind the SeiGou! And at least it has a cheeky Kisumi and some RinHaru which I know is your OTP)

“We’ve talked about this, I just don’t understand why it has to be now? She’s my sister and I don’t want her marrying some grimy old man for political power!”

“She’s _of age_ Rin, be reasonable. There are plenty of eligible young princes I’m sure your sister would be happy with.”

“I don’t want Gou being traded off like prize cattle to make peace with some man and his kingdom. She’s an intelligent, talented young woman, not just some pretty face to be treated like an object, I won’t allow it.”  
  
“You shelter her too much my Lord, at least allow her to meet with the suitors I’ve prepared, she may meet someone she finds interesting.”

“I’m leaving the choice up to her Uncle, it’s one thing if she meets someone she can be happy with, but I refuse to force her into anything, and I won’t allow you to pressure her.”

“Wonderful, I will inform the princess at once.”

“Uncle! Promise you won’t force this!”

“I’m sorry sir, I can’t quite hear you but I must take my leave!”

The statement was tossed over Uncle’s shoulder as he hastily rushed away, clearly avoiding responding to Rin’s statement. Rin shook his head in exasperation; he barely had time to think about the requirement of his own engagement, let alone his sisters. He sighed and worried the bridge of his nose, at least their countries laws stated he just had to be married to fully become king, his poor sister was required to marry royalty to keep her title. He had tried to change the laws soon after his father had passed, but altering official rulings was a right reserved for a fully crowned king which, unfortunately, meant Rin couldn’t change any laws until he was wed. His sister deserved so much better than being used as a political pawn, the thought alone made Rin nauseous. She would marry for love and nothing less. He promised this to himself as he made his way to the council chambers for his weekly security briefing. Family matters would have to wait, as despite his age the minute the sun rose he was first and foremost the sitting king, and there were much more pressing matters to be attended to.

\-----------------------

Rin could hear Gou’s anger before he saw her. The sound of slamming doors and determined footsteps echoed through the palace and gradually grew louder as they approached Rin’s study. Uncle had arranged for her to meet with three more suitors that morning after the first 7 had failed to impress her. Rin assumed these last meetings had gone as poorly as the rest. He braced himself for the shouting as a series of loud knocks rang through the room. He got up from his desk and walked towards the door as he called to her-  
  
“Come in, the door’s open”  
  
Gou launched herself through the large doors and aggressively hugged her older brother before pulling back and crossing her arms in agitation, the tapping of her right foot demonstrating just how frustrated she was. “Onii-san! How could you let Uncle set up those meetings? Those men were older and even ruder than the ones yesterday! None of them listened to a single thing I had to say, and one of them even had the audacity to grab my waist when he interrupted me to tell me I ‘was as pretty as a doll’. I have never felt more disrespected in my life, I felt like a show pony! I refuse to meet with any more of Uncle’s ‘candidates’.”

She glared at him trying to hide that she was on verge of crying, but Rin just gently reached out and grabbed his sister’s arm, pulling her into his chest for a comforting hug. Hearing how poorly Gou had been treated infuriated him, how dare some old geezer touch her without her permission, but getting angry now wouldn’t help her feel better. He would speak to his Uncle about this later, but right now he needed to be a good brother and stop his sister from crying. Rin stroked her head lightly as he tried to think of a way to distract her, maybe getting some fresh air would help clear her head.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Uncle doesn’t invite anyone else to see you, so you can forget about it for now okay? Say, I was just thinking how much I would love some fresh figs; do you want to come to the market with me to buy some? We can stop by the school and see Miho if you’d like?”

Gou sniffled quietly, but gently nodded her head against Rin’s shirt, not yet pulling away from her brother’s hug. He knew the thought of fresh fruit and getting to see Miho and the kids would lift her spirits, she was amazing with kids and was going to make a great mother one day. With the decision made, Rin slowly released Gou and walked with her towards the palace gates, both of them pulling scarves around their heads to draw less attention to themselves.

They slowly made their way through the market square, perusing the wares of various merchants before arriving at a stall selling fresh fruits and sweets. They snacked on a few figs, apricots, and some halvah candy before making their way to the school during break to see Miho and kindly greet all her young students. Growing up, Miho had been their own private tutor and was, at least in part, the reason why they had grown up to be kind, responsible leaders. When Rin had first been placed in power he wanted to ensure as many children as possible had access to the same education they had growing up, so he saw to the construction of the schoolhouse they currently stood in.

They stayed and visited with Miho and the kids until the late afternoon, Gou talking with her old teacher as Rin ran through the schoolyard kicking around a black and white ball with the kids. Not paying attention, Rin accidentally kicked the ball over the schoolyard fence, he made to retrieve it but it didn’t get very far. Before the ball could hit the ground a large hand snatched it out of the air and tossed it back towards the yard. A flash of bright red hair entered Rin’s vision, shadowed by candy pink, two faces he hadn’t seen in years quickly following.

“Sei? Kisumi? Jeez how long has it been?”- A memory flashing in Rin’s head seeing Sei toss the ball in his direction.

\---------------

Rin chased Kisumi through the market streets, the preteen grasping the ball they had been playing with moments before. Kisumi had saved Rin’s kick just before it hit the net- according to him anyways. Rin insisted it was a goal and Kisumi just didn’t want to lose. Rin finally caught up to the pink-haired fiend but he hid behind a taller, slightly more threatening Sei, who was currently laughing as hard as Rin’s sister next to him.  
  
“You just don’t want to admit I scored on you!” Rin gasped out, exhausted from sprinting after him.

“You just don’t want Sei and I to look better in front of your sister!” Kisumi called, peaking around Sei to barely meet Rin’s glare, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “You know how much he likes her, and you don’t want Gou falling for him!”  
  
“H…Hey now! Don’t go throwing me under the chariot!” Sei growled out, a slight tinge of pink flushing his face. He elbowed Kisumi lightly in the chest before moving to awkwardly rub his neck, the later shifting his mischievous look in Sei’s direction, aiming to make his friend squirm.  
  
“Well come on, this morning you wouldn’t stop talking about how you were _finally_ going to ask her out… did you do it yet?” Sei gave Kisumi a look that read *shut up before I hit you* but he was far too confident to be flustered, choosing to instead turn and quickly wink at a now blushing Gou before replying-

“Of course not, we’d be dating if I had. I’ve just decided since Gou just turned 11 we’re too young to date…” Sei rushed through his statement a little, and said it with enough conviction to sound convincing despite being faked. Kisumi could tell he wasn’t going to get a satisfactory rise out of Sei so he quickly stepped towards his next unsuspecting target, Gou.

“Well, I wouldn’t say you’re too young, what do you think Gou? Are you happy being single?” Gou flushed at the question, glancing nervously at Sei before looking at her unimpressed brother. Seeing the look on his face she rolled her eyes, straightened her posture, and responded with the practiced poise of a princess. 

“I’m a strong, independent girl who- *she shot her brother a glare in return*- doesn’t need a boyfriend right now because I’m focusing on my studies.”  
  
Kisumi continued to tease the young princess despite her formal response, blaming the political conflict between the two families for keeping the two separated. Gou remained relatively calm, responding to Kisumi’s antics with grace, but she was clearly getting flustered. Rin was about to intervene when he heard the voice of a young stranger call out to them. They laughed as they all jogged in the direction of the camels that had been sent to bring Sei and Kisumi home for the night. One of the Mikoshiba family guards stood alert waiting for the young princes, but Rin was far more interested in the young boy standing beside the camels. He was facing the opposite direction so Rin couldn’t quite see his face, but that didn’t keep him from being taken aback by the vibrant blue and gold scarf wrapped around the boy’s head, the rich colours deeply contrasting the sandstone buildings and tan streets.

An air of subtle sophistication surrounded the boy and Rin assumed he must be another prince visiting from a different kingdom, or perhaps a relative of the Mikoshiba’s. He hadn’t known Sei had so many important friends. Rin unintentionally gawked at the young man, unable to draw his curious eyes away from him. He looked about the same age as them height-wise so Rin was surprised they had never been introduced. Noticing the look Rin was giving their companion, Kisumi couldn’t help but tease the last of his friends a little before heading out.  
  
“I’d try blinking before your eye’s dry out Rin” He elbowed Rin lightly to temporarily draw his attention away from the boy. “See something you find interesting, or rather, some _one?_ ” Kisumi wiggled his eyebrows moving his head to gesture in the direction of the young man.

“Huh? Oh leave me alone, I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Rin quickly averted his eyes from Kisumi’s teasing gaze, a tell-tale blush tinting his cheeks.  
  
“Oh, that’s _my_ mistake then, I was _going_ to offer to introduce you, but I guess you wouldn’t be interested in that hm?”  
  
“Umm… Yeah, you’re right, no interest… I’m not even sure who you’re talking about, the guard?”

“You lie just about as well as fly Rin, you can’t. But I have to go so I’ll pretend to believe you, see you later!” Kisumi winked at Rin as he skipped towards the camels, easily dodging the punch thrown his way. Rin glowered at him but couldn’t exactly deny what he was saying either, but who wouldn’t be interested in such a regal looking stranger? Out of the corner of his eye he could see Sei and Gou saying goodbye a little more closely than he was strictly comfortable with, but he was far too preoccupied trying catch a glimpse of the face underneath that sapphire scarf to intervene.

\-------------- 

The last thing Rin remembered about that day was watching the guard and the three boys ride away, still trying to catch a glimpse of the stranger but never managing to do so. He hadn’t seen the boy since, mostly because he didn’t get to see Sei and Kisumi very often with the increased tension between their kingdoms, but he couldn’t seem to forget him.

Rin blinked rapidly, pulling himself out of the slight daze he’d found himself in reminiscing about playing with his friends in the streets. Sei and Kisumi’s eyes lit up with recognition as they turned to acknowledge the voice that had called their names. Sei’s eyes quickly shifted to Gou, and Rin could see a complicated look that was both guarded and sad, but loving all the same, pass over his features before he plastered on an overly warm smile. Rin didn’t blame him for being nervous, it had been a while since they had spoken for good reason, though their kingdoms weren’t engaged in a physical war, the tensions between their boarders had being rising, thus preventing more regular visits. For the past 5 years or so Sei and Kisumi had opted not to visit all together after an attempt on Sei’s younger brother’s life had barely been stopped by a palace guard. It had been proven the criminal had come from a palace north of both kingdoms (leaving the Matsuokas completely innocent), but their families had thought it best they remained close to home.

If they were here it meant that things were finally starting to calm down at their boarders, as a king this pleased Rin, but as a person Rin was just happy he was finally able to see his friends. Hearing the familiar names leave Rin’s lips Gou spun around fast enough to stir up dust, quickly saying goodbye to Miho before rushing towards her brother. Rin could see the same lingering hope in his sister’s eyes as she glanced at Sei.

Rin quickly found out that despite having years to mature Kisumi still had a habit of teasing people, as he was quick to pick up on the possible romantic tensions between the young prince and princess and took full advantage of them.

“Now would you just look at that, this is so funny, I was _just_ talking to Sei about the third time he said he was going to ask you out but didn’t.”  
  
“Oh… oh really, that is really funny.” Gou blushed a little, giggling at the comment. “It’s so nice to see both of you, Kisumi… _Sei_ ” She put a little more emphasis on Sei’s name as she stepped closer to him, looking him directly in the eyes while she spoke gauging his reaction.

Rin had never heard _that_ laugh before, it was too ‘cute’ and ‘dainty’, and the wide-eyed expression she was giving him was far too warm to be simply friendly. Rin watched the two out of the corner of his eye while he barely made small talk with Kisumi. He couldn’t hear what they were saying but they both looked genuinely happy. His eye’s quickly fell on Gou’s hand when she touched Sei arm lightly, giggling for the umpteenth time, it almost as if Gou was…

WAIT!

Was she flirting with him?! He was definitely not pleased with that. He would have let his protective nature overpower his better judgment had Kisumi not lightly grabbed his arm and tugged Rin towards him. Rin glared defensively at the pink-haired vixen, but completely unfazed at his attempt at intimidation Kisumi leaned in slightly and spoke at a volume just loud enough for Rin, and not the others, to hear.

“I lied, a little bit anyways. I wasn’t talking to Sei about when he tried to ask your sister out, I was saying that he _should._ It was _so_ obvious that they were head-over-heels for one another when we were kids, and with tensions finally dropping, imagine what a royal wedding could do for relations?”

Rin hated to admit it but Kisumi had a point. They clearly looked happy together, Sei was one of the few guys he had ever seen treat Gou with the respect she deserved, and it would help improve relations which their Uncle would appreciate. Kisumi could see Rin seriously thinking the idea over, he had known mentioning both love and politics was the fastest way to convince the stubborn older brother he was right. He gave Rin a knowing look, gesturing towards the other two before mouthing *say something* and pushing Rin towards them.

Rin reluctantly moved towards his sister and his childhood friend, momentarily praying he wouldn’t come to regret this choice. Getting closer he could see the rosy blush dusting both their cheeks as they spoke, the rekindling of forgotten emotions clearly visible in their faces. When they finally noticed Rin’s presence Sei coughed a little before stepping back slightly, not realizing how close they had gotten. Rin turned to face his sister, hiding his expression from a clearly nervous Sei as he mouthed the words *would he be okay?* He could see the immediate sparkle in his sister’s eyes as she nodded lightly, looking over Rin’s shoulder hopefully. Rin sighed still feeling slightly defeated, but he wanted his sister to be happy, so he spun around mustering up the brightest smile he could as he spoke-

“It’s been such a long time since we’ve seen you, and you and Gou seem to be getting along so well, it would be a shame to end the conversation here.” The look Rin gave Sei said more than his words, and Sei quickly glanced at Kisumi in disbelief who only nodded and motioned a *go on, ask* with his hands. Rin could see the confidence rise in this old friend as he stepped towards Gou again, glancing quickly at Rin before taking her hands in his.

“Your brother’s right, we have so much catching up to do. It would be my pleasure to host you both at our home for dinner tomorrow night… if you’re available that is.” His confidence faltered slightly at the end as he offered a noncommittal out for Gou if she didn’t want to see him. The formality in his speech was uncharacteristic, but the worry was unneeded as Gou nodded enthusiastically-

“Oh of course we would love to! We don’t have anything important going on tomorrow right Onii-san?”  
  
“No not at all, we have plenty of free time.” Rin briefly remembered he had promised to tell Uncle not to set up any more meetings for Gou, at least with this he had an agreeable reason. 

The four continued to discuss the offer in more detail, determining the time and possible menu for the evening. Among the enthusiastic chatter, Rin heard a velvety toned voice in the background that sounded familiar, if not more mature than he remembered. It was calling out to Sei and Kisumi again, just like Rin remembered and he took a deep breath as he turned around slowly. The prince’s convoy had arrived to take them home to the palace and stood a few feet away. Rin almost felt a sense of déjà vu as the same sapphire blue scarf entered his vision.

He held his breath as the man turned to face them, a sword hanging low on his hip. He wore billowing white haram pants with his stomach bare, which was odd in Rin’s opinion since royalty tended to dress more subtly in his kingdom, but he assumed there was reason behind the choice. A choice he wouldn’t complain about taking note of the tanned, muscular figure he was presented with, unable to prevent himself from noticing the man’s abs and the deep V that disappeared below his low-riding pant hem. The man’s face was mostly covered by his headscarf, but as his head turned Rin was finally able to catch a glimpse of his beautiful sapphire eyes that widened slightly when they met with Rin’s, but looked away just as quickly. Rin was sure he had met with almost every nobleman in the nearby kingdoms, but apparently he had missed one, he would have remembered a look that striking. Rin found himself staring just like he had as a young boy, unable to approach the man, but unable to keep his eyes off him as the dinner plans were solidified. Kisumi laughed as he passed Rin walking towards the camels-  
  
“Still not interested in meeting him I assume?” he called as he turned to walk backwards, facing Rin.

“Ye… yeah… not interested…” Rin responded slowly while leaning slightly to the right, keeping the mysterious man in his line of sight. It couldn’t have been further from a truth, but he was too preoccupied to really think of a reason to speak with the man. He would have to meet him another time. Kisumi just rolled his eyes jokingly, tossing his arms up shaking his head in disbelief as he spun back around to approach the convoy.

Rin was left watching the convoy leave, the guard and the three men riding away just like his memory, still trying to catch another glimpse of the stranger who’s name he still didn’t have because of his own inaction. He kicked the ground in frustration stirring up sand, how could he run an entire kingdom but not be able to talk to one guy. He glared at the ground contemplating his own procrastination, slapping his forehead realizing how stupid he was being. His sister looked at him questioningly before moving to link arms with him to walk home, but she knew better than to ask any questions. They waved goodbye to Miho and the kids and walked back in comfortable silence as she waited for Rin to process his own thoughts. 

“Any idea what kingdom that prince belongs to?” Rin asked suddenly, his voice was low and quiet, almost as if he was asking himself rather than Gou.

“Prince… What prince? Who are you talking about?”

“That guy, with the blue headscarf, he’s been with them before but I’ve never come across him in any of my visits”

“Oh, the quiet one with the pretty eyes, I’m not sure… Why do you ask? See someone you might find interesting?” She bumped his shoulder with hers when she asked, laughing at him now, seeing the blush start to rise to his face. She knew his preferences, as did most of those living in the palace, but it was one of the reasons he was yet to marry. As a male member of the royal family he was permitted to marry whoever he pleased, it was just uncommon for it to be another man.

“You’re starting to sound like Kisumi, I just want to know more about him, that’s all”

“Mhmm, alright if you say so” Gou replied giving Rin a knowing look, he just waved her off not wanting to talk about it further.

“This doesn’t mean I’m interested or anything, but next time I see him, I’m at least going to remember to get his name.” Gou laughed at him again as they walked through the palace gates making towards their Uncle’s study, they had to let him know about the meeting _they_ had set up for Gou.

\------------------

Uncle had of course agreed to the meeting enthusiastically, continuing the trend of improved relations between the two states would greatly improve trade. He went so far as to say he was embarrassed he hadn’t thought of the idea himself. Rin was just happy that Gou seemed to really care about Sei; she looked so excited as their convoy approached the Mikoshiba’s palace. He hadn’t needed to come with her, it was obvious the meeting was going to go well, but he wanted to catch up with their friends as much as she did. He would never admit to also wanting to finally get the name of the mysterious prince that hadn’t left his thoughts since the previous day.

They were welcomed with open arms, Sei moving towards them wearing much more dignified robes than those he often wore to the market. It seemed him and Gou weren’t the only ones trying to remain inconspicuous when they while they were out. The palace was as vibrant as the hair on its young master’s head, beautiful ruby silks draping the walls, silver décor emphasising the expert architectural design. More impressive still was the utilization of fire as a design element, large fireplaces, candelabras, and decorative torches lined the walls and floors. Gou spun around once, clapping her hands together in front of her face; she made a point of telling Sei how beautiful everything was when he offered her his arm, linking them as they made their way towards the dining room for their meal.

Rin tried to hide his discontent when the one person he really wanted to see was nowhere in sight when they arrived, choosing not to inquire about the young man in an attempt to be less obvious. But of course, with his talent for identifying the perfect target, Kisumi caught the disappointment right away. However, rather than teasing him right of the bat to agitate him, thus giving away information, he just presented Rin with a sly, knowing look and a grin. Keeping his mouth shut, he laced his fingers behind his head before moving to walk just ahead of Rin, leaving plenty of open questions to torment him. Sometimes the best way to tease someone is to say and do absolutely nothing and watch them tease themselves. Rin looked back at him questioningly, but didn’t ask for clarification; rather he just fell in line behind the doting couple.

The table was already filled with various fruits, meats, and wines when they arrived, the arrangements as beautiful as the rest of the décor. Sei made a point of stepping ahead of Gou to pull her chair out, making an effort to demonstrate the respect and care he had for her. Rin would have been impressed with the gentlemanly gesture had the seat not, coincidentally, been far enough from him that he couldn’t hear a word they were saying. Another brotherly intervention was stopped before Rin could mention the seating arrangement when Kisumi shoved a large piece of cheese in his mouth. Rin gave Kisumi a bewildered expression; barely able to chew let alone swallow the (admittedly delicious) slice. 

“I thought you might like some cheese before your whine” Kisumi almost didn’t make it through the terrible joke without bursting into laughter, the look on Rin’s face even more priceless than before. Admittedly, it wasn’t his best work, but it kept Rin from ruining all of his previous work to have Gou be with someone she loved, and that’s what mattered. Rin sat back in his chair as he continued to chew the large piece before reaching for his wine glass to wash it down, making Kisumi snicker.

“Oh don’t give me that look Rinrin, you seem so disappointed, I wanted to see if you’d smile. If that didn’t work maybe a fantastic dinner and dessert will help sweeten up your sour mood.” Accentuating the end of his statement with a wink, Kisumi reached out to pop a grape in his mouth before passing the pitcher of wine to Rin who accepted it gratefully. He was going to need a drink or two to get through this without making any mistakes.

Rin finally got a hold of his nerves after the second glass and managed to forget his disappointment for the majority of the dinner as they all talked lively, catching up, laughing, and reminiscing about all the trouble they got into as kids. Eventually though, after eating and drinking their fill and exerting most of their energy, conversation volumes lowered again and Rin began to feel tired. Looking over at Sei and Gou talking to one another quietly was no longer agitating him; they looked far too comfortably happy for him to be upset. His feelings of overprotectiveness drained for the night, the absence of a certain someone became more apparent. He was glad his sister seemed to have found someone, but he had been hoping to finally meet a handsome prince of his own.

Rin crossed his arms on the table, letting his head fall on top of them sighing to himself. The new couple at the far end of the table didn’t take note of his moping, but Kisumi was starting to feel a little bad for him. Kisumi shifted in his seat and leaned over to ruffle Rin’s hair, his headscarf long gone leaving his wine-toned locks a tousled mess. Rin turned to face him slowly, looking a little defeated when he asked what he wanted.

“Hmm, you seem a little bored, but I think I might have the perfect solution to lift your spirits… Hey Sei! You okay with me calling Nagisa’s troupe and the other dancers in?” Sei looked at Kisumi confused, wondering why he wanted a performance at such a random time, he hadn’t planned on summoning them. Kisumi baited him, suggesting he had been too focused on Gou to see his other guests needed some entertainment while he flirted. Sei waved his hand noncommittally at the statement, telling Kisumi to do whatever he pleased. A mischievous and excited smile lit up Kisumi’s face as he jumped out of his seat, walking over to a guard requesting he retrieve Nagisa for him.

Rin looked at Kisumi perplexed, he knew he was aware of the real reason he was feeling down, it had been obvious by the first look he gave Rin when they arrived at the palace. It’s possible that he might be a little less bored if he had something to distract him, but he was positive it wouldn’t make him feel better. He was surprised to see a young man around their age skip into the dining hall, he had assumed the troupe leader would be a women. From the looks on both their faces it seemed as though the bubbly blond was a friend of Kisumi’s, bouncing over to give the older of the two a hug. Before Nagisa could pull away Kisumi glanced at Rin and whispering something quickly into the boy’s ear, a devilish grin crossing both their faces. Feeling a little more on guard, Rin sank further into his seat watching closely as Nagisa went to retrieve the other dancers, giving Kisumi a questioning look after boy’s golden hair was out of sight.

Kisumi just tossed him an innocent smile, saying he “should just sit back and enjoy the show.” An innocent smile on the vixen’s face is the last thing Rin would trust, but he didn’t have much time to mull over the suggestion as sensual music began to fill the dining hall. Dancers began to gracefully enter the room as the performance began, both men and woman all dressed in reds, oranges, and pinks trimmed with silver; it seemed the palace colour scheme also applied to those it owned. Their bodies moved in unison with the dreamy melody, Rin had to admit they seemed talented and many of them were objectively pretty, but none drew his interest any further. Kisumi explained that their dance depicted the legend of a village near the Nile whose crops suddenly burst into flames; everyone would have perished had a God not appeared to save them. It was entertaining but if Kisumi really thought this was going to make him feel better he had another thing coming.

The dancers appeared to drift peacefully around the room, dancing both in pairs and as solos, life in village was tranquil and fulfilling. Rin watched the story unfold as hearty bounties were harvested from the fields, plentiful fish drawn from the Nile, and villagers celebrated with barrels of wine. Suddenly, the dreamy music shifted and began to sound more rushed and violent as the story approached it's climax. The dancers movements became less organized and some began to spin torches; the piece burst into a representation of an engulfing flame. Rin was mesmerized, it was as though he could see the village and it’s fields burning in front of him, feeling his pulse quicken at the thought. Then, his vision slowed, as out of the corner of his eye he caught a flash of royal blue and gold.

Rin felt his heart jump to his throat as he watched him dancing fluidly through the chaos of performers around him with ease. He was dressed in all blue rather than the white Rin had always seen him in, contrasting the seas of red around him. His eye’s widened at the realization that the man whom he had wrongfully assumed was a prince, had turned out to be a slave. The implications of said realization lost to Rin as he watched the man move in direct contrast to those around him, if they were the devastating fire he was their saving grace, the Nile God bringing torrential rains to extinguish the inferno. The man’s face still remained mostly covered, but the blue of his scarf matched the deep blue of his eyes and Rin couldn’t help but be drawn to him like an oasis in their desert. The blue siren suddenly launched himself into the air, spinning with outstretched armed above the floor, blue silks unraveling from his forearms over the dancers below as they collapsed and the music stopped. 

For a brief moment not a single one of them moved, then the music returned quietly, softly, and the dancers rose gently from the floor, Rin could practically hear the steam and smoke rise off the ashes. Slowly, the dancers returned to their original choreography, the water spirit remaining to watch over the villagers. Rin was completely awestruck, not only was the performance phenomenal but he had never seen a man quite as beautifully alluring as the stranger in front of him. He was definitely shocked that he had been so incorrect about the man’s identity, but at this point it didn’t matter in the slightest, he just needed to get his name.

By the end of the performance even Sei and Gou has paused their conversation to enjoy the spectacle, all of them rising from their seats to applaud the dancers when it finished. Sei called out to Nagisa once the troupe had taken a bow, informing him that any dancers that were interested could join them in the common area. Nagisa perked right up at the suggestion, nodding enthusiastically before skipping over to the other dancers to let them know. To Rin’s surprise not all of them took the offer, which he questioned Kisumi about, not that he was all too concerned because it seemed as though the dancer attracting his attention had agreed to come.

As they moved towards the common area Kisumi explained that when they were younger Sei’s father had won Nagisa’s troupe from another King after betting on a race. Since being acquired by the Mikoshibas each of the troupe members had taken on other responsibilities on top of practicing with the other palace dancers. Sei’s father was relatively lenient on the kids growing up, allowing them to pick where in the palace they wanted to train. For example, Nagisa had loved sweets and pretty decorations, so he trained with the palace’s dessert and pastry chef, and Rin’s mystery man (who’s name Rin didn’t want to know until he asked personally) had wanted to keep his encrusted khopesh sword, so he opted to join the palace guards. As for why not all the dancers wished to join them in the common room, it was a little more obvious, they weren’t there just to relax but also keep the royals company.

The common room was as extravagant as the rest of the palace, the décor continuing to utilize reds and silvers accented with various sources of fire. Sei showed them around, drawing their attention to various pieces of artwork and architectural features including a large circular stone pool. Rin looked around at the various hammocks, fabric chaises, and sofas searching for a flash of blue against the bright red, but was disappointed to find he couldn’t see him. He wouldn’t let himself fall into another bad mood just yet; he had heard the man say he would join them so he would need to show up eventually. Sitting down across from Kisumi on a particularly comfortable chaise, Rin was formally introduced to Nagisa before he ran off to find a guard named Rei. He was also acquainted with two adorable brunettes named Makoto and Chigusa sitting on either side of Kisumi keeping him company. Feeling rather lethargic after dinner, Rin just watched as Kisumi whispered in their ears, noting that he had his arm around Makoto’s waist, who was popping grapes into Kisumi’s mouth in return.

Starting to doze off, Rin barely heard Kisumi suggest he call the other dancer over, gesturing in the direction of the pool. Turning slightly, Rin finally spotted his desert sapphire lying stomach down on a couch looking longingly at Gou and Sei swimming in the pool. More specifically, he seemed to be watching the water. Apparently the dancer symbolizing water loved it as much as the God he portrayed. He had changed out of his performance attire and was instead back in his white harem pants, opting for a tight black top that just covered his pectorals and shoulders, leaving his lower back, arms, and stomach bare. Seeing as the he wasn’t facing him, Rin took the opportunity to openly look the man up and down. His skin was beautifully tanned, his muscles toned and well used. The prince’s half lidded eyes traveled over his strong shoulder and back muscles all the way down the small of his back, then down to his firm ass and back up. Rin was also finally able to see the man’s silky jet black hair, the blue headscarf he had become accustomed to seeing nowhere in sight. His hair looked soft and in his groggy state Rin felt the sudden urge to run his fingers through it, but it just didn’t seem right to disturb him, or at least that’s what he told the pink-haired flirt sitting across from him.

Rin groaned at his own cowardice, moving to fall back on his chaise. He laid down, covered his eyes with his forearm. He knew he was just looking for an excuse not to talk to the man at this point seeing as he was within shouting distance. He could hear his sister laughing is the distance, at least any residual doubt Rin felt about making the right decision there melted away. It was clear that any love the two had felt for one another as preteens was re-emerging in full force, if things continued to go as well as they were now she would be happily married in no time. At least she was happy, that was all that mattered. He could brood about his own failing love life another time, right now he could just be happy for Gou as he drifted off to sleep.

Rin awoke when he felt the cushions under him move, noticing a warm feeling over his body and breath on his face. A variety of scents washed over him: spice from frankincense, sweet from fruit wine, and another that was both warm and fresh that he couldn’t quite place. He opened his eyes slowly, but once his vision focused he was positive he must have been dreaming because he was met with a pair of sparkling sapphire eyes just inches from his face. Rin couldn’t help but gasp slightly, he hadn’t expected anyone to be so close, let alone the one man he hadn’t been able to approach all night.

“Oh… I’m sorry. Did I wake you? Kisumi said you asked for me but it seems he might have been mistaken”

Rin cursed Kisumi in his head; he hadn’t been prepared to talk to him when he was fully awake and functional, let alone when he was still half asleep. Well at least he was too groggy to be embarrassed.

“Hmm, well I’m not sure how I would have been able to ask for you considering I don’t know your name…” Rin couldn’t maintain eye contact when said it, he wasn’t even sure he was ready to put a name to the face he had been admiring from afar.

“Haruka, sir, but you can call me Haru Prince Matsuoka.” Haru… what a fitting name for such a beautiful person. Again Rin felt the urge to reach out and run his fingers through Haru’s hair but he was awake enough to control it. Instead he glanced around them, noticing it had gotten significantly darker and everyone had left to go to sleep. Rin panicked briefly when he noticed both Sei and Gou were missing but Haru assured him that a female dancer had escorted her to a guest room completely separate from the royal chambers, so there was nothing for him to worry about.

More relief than he cared to admit washed over him as he pushed himself back to create room on the chaise beside him. Sleepiness and the wave of dopamine coming from feeling relieved making him feel a little more flirtatious and a lot more bold than normal.

“You can just call me Rin, Prince Matsuoka is too formal. And seeing as everyone has already gone to bed you should just sleep with me here.” Not realizing the duel meaning of his statement until he saw Haru’s eyes darken at the suggestion, Rin almost rescinded the statement but it was too late.

“Though I’m not opposed to the idea, I think that might be a little inappropriate in such a public area Rin.” Damn it, he had barely been talking to this guy for 5 minutes and he had already managed to embarrass himself. Rin began to backtrack immediately, he needed to explain that he really hadn’t meant it that way and fix this misunderstanding befo… wait a minute… Did he just say he wouldn’t be opposed to the idea!? Rin’s mouth hung open slightly, not able to respond as his face flushed bright red all the way up to his ears. He wasn’t prepared for him to flirt back, let alone do it so nonchalantly. While Rin was internally freaking out he glanced up, looking at Haru who was still hovering over him slightly, and he saw the tiniest smirk on his face; he could have sworn he saw a flicker of light in his eyes. He had been messing with him.

Slightly less embarrassed but also a little disappointed, Rin sat up forcing Haru to move to sit on his feet while he stretched. Much more awake after his onslaught of emotions, Rin felt like he needed to get up and do something before the heat rising in his chest had him do something potentially regrettable.

“Hey… The pool looks really inviting reflecting the stars like that, did you umm, maybe want to join me for a dip?” Haru’s eyes lit right up at the suggestion, it looked like Rin was right in thinking he had been staring at the water earlier, but soon his expression turned dejected as he cast his gaze to the ground.

“Our master said that slaves aren’t allowed to use the royal pool…” Rin couldn’t help it… the poor guy just looked so sad, like a tiny lost puppy. He reached out his hand to run it through Haru’s shiny charcoal locks before moving to caress his cheek, noting how he leaned into his touch. He drew the man’s chin up so Haru would look him in the eyes as he spoke softly, flirting ever so subtly-

“It’s late, no one has to know… Plus, on the off chance we do get caught, I’ll just say I wanted company and forced you, you have to entertain guests right?” He winked at him then, hoping the smaller man would take the bait. “C’mon it’ll be fine, I saw how longingly you were staring at it earlier.” At that, a small blush and a massive grin broke out on Haru’s face, the thought of finally being able to jump in the water overriding the voice in his head telling him to obey the palace rules.

“I’ll take that as a yes then.”

Rin jumped up, stripping off almost all his clothes before racing towards the pool, Haru following right behind him. They both leapt high in the air and dove in at the same time, the cool water feeling miraculous against their heated skin. The first thing Rin did when they surfaced was turn and splash the smaller man surfacing next to him, he wanted to break any tension that might form from breaking the rules immediately. This ended up in a childish splashing war between the two before they came to a silent agreement to swim instead. Rin quickly learned that water was practically a second home for Haru, watching him effortlessly glide through the water like a fish. Rin had a larger pool back at his home and, judging by Haru’s ecstatic reaction and skills, noted that it might be a useful piece of information if he could move this interaction in the direction he wanted.

They swam laps across the diameter of the pool, sometimes speeding up to race to the opposite side, others slowing down to just enjoy the feeling of the water moving around them. But whatever the pace, they always stayed in line with one another, stokes almost completely in sync. Rin had never felt such a strong connection with someone before. He also couldn’t help but notice just how alluring Haru really was, watching as water droplets ran down the man's body and momentarily envied them. He watched as Haru flipped this hair out of his eyes before moving to run a hand through it, he felt his throat dry forcing himself to remain composed.

Eventually they both used up their residual energy from the day and flipped to just float on their backs in the centre of the pool looking up at the stars. They glowed so softly in the endless abundance of space, lighting up the night sky in the trillions. Rin wasn’t sure how much time had passed as they floated, the comfortable silence warming his spirit before he spoke quietly- 

“The stars really are so beautiful this late at night, especially around this time of year… I should spend more time out here to see them.” Haru agreed but he could hear the sadness in his voice-

“You’re right, I just wish I had the freedom to come see them whenever I wanted to…”

“Haru, can I ask you something a little strange?” Haru wasn’t quite sure why, but he felt extremely open with Rin, he seemed much more caring then his current master. Regardless of the reason, at that moment he felt like he was able to tell Rin anything he wanted to know, so he simply replied-

“Sure, ask away.”

“Do you like dancing? I mean you’re an amazing performer, but do you actually enjoy it?” He hadn’t expected that, he couldn’t even remember the last time he had been asked what he liked, or what he wanted. Taking a moment to process the question and how much he was willing to admit, Haru slowly responded, turning to look at Rin so he could see if he got upset.

“I suppose so, it’s kind of like swimming through the air so I like it, just sometimes, and forgive me for being so honest, I wish I didn’t have to come to every beck and call of a king.” Haru’s voice wavered when he spoke, clearly expecting to be reprimanded for speaking ill of his master, but Rin wasn’t about to tell. To be honest he was a little envious of him. They had drifted closer together by this point, a gentle breeze moving them so they were actually touching while they floated peacefully. Rin could feel the skin that was in contact with the other man warming up, and he felt the need to be just as honest.

“I get what you mean, but truthfully, sometimes I wish I had someone telling me what to do. Ever since my dad passed away I’ve been trying to make the best decisions I can for my kingdom and take care of Gou in a way that would make him proud… but sometimes I just really wish he was here to guide me, you know?” He saw Haru turn and look at him cautiously; Rin had forgotten that he might not have known about his father’s death. He hadn’t meant to try and draw pity, and he hoped he hadn’t soured the mood after they were getting along so well.

“I’m sure your father is very proud of you Rin, you’re doing a great job.” Rin didn’t really think he needed someone to tell him he was doing alright, but damn did it feel good coming from Haru. Hearing someone tell him he was actually doing something right, especially the man he had a long-standing crush on, made his cheeks glow and his heart beat faster. Rin could hear his own pulse loudly in his ears and prayed that Haru couldn’t as he let himself sink into the water, coming to stand next to him. Looking down at Haru’s slightly parted lips Rin couldn’t help but lick his own. Man did he want to kiss him right now.

Before fully realizing what he was doing, Rin leaned down so he was just inches away from Haru’s face. He tried to say his name calmly but it came out raspy and quiet, his nerves and desires getting the better of him. Hearing his name called in such a manner, and feeling the ghost of Rin’s breath on his lips, Haru eyes shot open only to be met with Rin’s half-lidded stare. Haru had secretly been hoping this might happen but he knew he would get in trouble if it did. Rin hesitated slightly, but he saw that Haru didn’t move to stop him and that gave him the confidence to close the gap between them. Pressing their lips together lightly, Rin felt as though a thousand small colourful explosions were going off in his head, Haru’s lips were incredibly soft and he wanted more.

Haru started to sink into the water slowly, and Rin gently moved to rest one of his hands on the small of Haru’s back, the other coming to caress his face. The kiss was chaste and still fairly light as Rin started to apply a little more pressure, tilting his head to a more comfortable position when Haru finally had his feet firmly on the ground. It wasn’t until Rin licked the bottom of Haru’s lip in an attempt to deepen the kiss that alarm bells went off in Haru’s head. He was strictly forbidden from intimately touching any of the palace guests.

Haru jumped back away from Rin as well as he could in the water and began to apologize profusely for his indecent behaviour. He waved his hands in front of him in a panic, explaining that he was extremely sorry for letting his emotions get the better of him. He promised it would never happen again as he pleaded with Rin not to tell Sei or his master before quickly swimming to the edge of the pool and running off.

Rin was left standing in the pool extremely confused and deeply saddened, had he done something wrong? Everything had been going so well, and Rin was falling hard and fast... The statements Haru had made were lost to Rin, he was the one who initiated everything, what was Haru talking about? And of course he wouldn’t tell Sei, even if the kiss had made him want to burst he wasn’t the type to kiss and tell. Suddenly exhausted, Rin swam slowly to the edge of the pool, picked up his clothes and begrudgingly moved towards a guestroom. He needed to rest and think about things with a clear head in the morning. Collapsing on to his bed all Rin could do was pray he could fix whatever mistake he had made before almost immediately falling asleep.

\---------------

The next morning they had all been called to breakfast, it turns out Sei had pretty much expected them to stay the night and had arranged for a royal breakfast with all the fixings to be prepared. The start of the meal was spread out along the dining room table, looking as refined as the pervious night's dinner. Various servants and troupe members brought the Prince’s coffee as they chatted while snacking on various fruits and pastries. Rin hadn’t seen Haru yet that morning, but he had seen images of him all night, both wonderful dreams and nightmares. He was becoming increasingly paranoid that he had done something inexcusable but he silently prayed Haru would be one of the servants bringing out the main dishes so he could at least speak to him.

Gou emerged from her room looking sleepy but as cute as always. Rin took note of the sleep shirt she was wearing and noticed it looked to suspiciously be Sei’s size, but he forced himself to think nothing of it since they had come from different directions. They continued to chat nonchalantly and Kisumi eventually joined them at the table signalling that breakfast could begin. Rin’s hopes weren’t ill founded as Haru walked in carrying a tray of fried fish looking more than a little sleep-deprived from the night before. Rin momentarily wondered if Haru had as much of a restless night as he had, but he also hadn’t considered Haru would have to wake up much earlier than him.

Rin was more acutely aware of each of Haru’s movements and took every opportunity to sneak glances his way. It was a little awkward at first but the initial tension between them was lifted when Haru discovered Rin had not, in fact, talked to Sei about the previous evening. As breakfast proceeded Rin had caught Haru sneaking glances his way too, each look making his chest feel tighter. Being as he was irregularly conscious of the raven’s movements, he also noticed the hungry looks he had eyeing the fish on the table. 

Wondering briefly what food the Mikoshiba’s provided for their servants, Rin snuck a fish, along with some fresh fruit and bread, on to a plate and hid it on the chair next to him while breakfast finished. As the group stood to move to the sunroom Rin hid the plate from the others view and turned to face Haru. Kisumi and a few of the other servants watched him curiously, wondering what the prince wanted with the quiet servant boy, he had to distract them somehow… An idea came to him as he made a show of picking up a single berry and slipping it into Haru’s mouth, intentionally looking like he was just flirting with the dancer. Kisumi laughed-

“Well it’s about time Rin, you’ve been eyeing him since we were 12” Haru gave Rin a wide-eyed expression as Rin hid his face in embarrassment. He hadn’t intended on mentioning he had been crushing on Haru since they were kids, and it sounded even lamer when Kisumi said it. Composing himself as the others walked away, he slipped the rest of the plate to Haru who looked very appreciative and silently thanked him for the gesture, brushing his hand against the Prince’s arm as he left. Well at least Haru didn’t seem creeped out by Kisumi’s statement. 

Just as Rin passed through the doorway exiting the dinning room Gou pulled him aside out of earshot from the other two. She had to rush through her statement before Sei noticed she had fallen behind-

“Onii-san, I think… I think I might really like Sei. I had the most amazing time yesterday, we’ve been close since we were kids and he makes me feel respected and important and loved. I can easily see myself coming to love him too, and Uncle wanted me to marry quickly anyways. Are you okay with me asking him if it’s okay to marry Sei?” He had never seen Gou look quite this happy and hopeful in his entire life, and while he still had reservations about her getting married at such a young age, he was truly a romantic at heart, and a big brother who cared for his sister too dearly to deny her.

“I’m still not thrilled with the idea of you getting married… but you know above anything else I just want you to be happy. I said I was leaving this choice up to you and I meant it. If you think you really might love Sei then I will support you two in front of Uncle.”

Gou hugged him tightly and ran towards Sei, Rin could see his face light right up at the news. Once they reached the sunroom Sei came over and formally thanked Rin for his approval, saying he felt truly blessed to be potentially marrying and becoming a brother to two of his best friends. Rin returned the sentiment and they started to discuss some of the more political aspects of a marriage between their two nations. A lot of things were going to change but it sounded like it was going to be a new era of prosperity for them both. Kisumi and Gou were already discussing what type of dress she should wear and what flowers she should use for her bouquet as Sei and Rin continued to talk until Rin saw Haru enter the room out of the corner of his eye.

Once he was present, Rin made a point of asking if Haru was accompanying them on their trip back to his palace at a volume much louder than strictly necessary, but he wanted to see how the smaller male would react. Sei gave him a confused look, but instead of asking why he wanted to know, Sei just explains that Haru always accompanied them when they traveled so of course he was coming this time around. Rin was starting to develop a plan, a small smile lighting up his face when he made eye contact with Haru, the later just looking at him with an incredibly perplexed expression. By the time the rest of the travel arrangements had been decided it was time to head out, they didn’t want to be crossing the desert in the blazing afternoon sun after all.

As they made their way back Rin made a point of keeping his camel fairly in line with Haru’s, both of them staying a little behind the rest of the convoy so they could talk casually and openly. They had a little way to travel so Rin thought he might as well use the time to get to know the mysterious man beside him a little better. At one point Rin noticed the large sapphire on the hilt of Haru’s khopesh sword, mentioning that it matched both his headscarf and his eyes. Rin wasn’t quite sure, but he thought he saw a slight blush tint the smaller man’s cheeks at the compliment. He hadn’t meant for the statement to come off so cheesy, he was just making an honest observation but it seemed like Haru appreciated it. He had never really wanted to be in a relationship growing up, but the more he talked to Haru the more he wished he had some experience.

Haru quickly explained that when he was first brought into slavery as a child his scarf and sword were the only two things they let him keep. He had been a young prince of sorts in a nomadic group as a child, but bandits had raided their camp one night, capturing as many men, woman, and children as possible to sell to slave traders. His story explained the quiet refined aura and features Rin had seen before, and why he had originally thought Haru was royalty. The story was heartbreaking, Rin treated his servants well but he avoided thinking about the lives they had before coming to his palace. Experiencing so much tragedy at a young age could be a painful memory, but luckily for Rin it had happened a long time ago so the compliment didn’t trigger any negative emotions. Rather than seeming upset about the situation, Haru just looked down fondly at the sword hanging from his waist and changed the subject, and Rin wasn’t going to push the topic any further.

The voyage home seemed to pass significantly faster than the trip there, and for the first time Rin was truly happy about how little space there was between their borders. Originally it had meant violent conflict could break out at any moment, but now that the two kingdoms seemed to be at peace, it meant he could still see Gou regularly when she was married. They approached the palace and their Uncle greeted them all with as much enthusiasm as Sei had the previous day, inviting them all in for drinks after their long trip.

Uncle was of course thrilled to hear that Gou had found a suitor, and one with impressive political power and promise at that. He thought a union between the two states was an excellent idea, and agreed to the marriage whole-heartedly. All that was left was for the prince to give his official blessing as the standing king and arrangements for the ceremony could begin. Rin was about to offer his royal blessing when he suddenly thought of an even better plan that would forward his own budding relationship along with his sister's. So rather than giving a simple ‘yes you have my blessing’, he put the couple a little on edge as he spoke-

“I would be happy to offer my royal blessing, but as you know we normally require a dowry of some kind in return for hands in marriage.” Sei looked a little hurt that Rin would still be asking for such a thing from a childhood friend, but immediately agreed to provide any dowry Rin saw fit. At first a sly, then an excited smile rose to Rin’s face as he glanced between Sei and Haru, the later currently preoccupied with ogling the giant pool Rin had in his personal garden surrounded by pink flowering fruit trees, his eyes shinning brilliantly. Rin raised his voice a little when he spoke to ensure Haru heard every word-

“I’m not asking for much, I would simply appreciate it if you had your father transfer the ownership papers for Nagisa’s troupe over to me, I enjoyed their company and would like them here in my palace.” Hearing Rin’s words, Haru was almost violently pulled from his daze; spinning around he could only stare at Rin in utter disbelief. Sei was equally as confused but quickly agreed, saying his family would easily part with the troupe if it meant he could share a life with Gou, Rin could consider it done. Gou, on the other hand, knew exactly what her onii-san was doing. She leaned over to him whispering-

“I know this dowry is for your own love life and the lives of him and his friends” gesturing in Haru’s direction, “and I know you love me and wouldn’t choose any number of slaves over me, good luck onii-san.” Rin looked at her appreciatively for her complete understanding, pulling her in for a hug as he kissed the top of her head.

Releasing his sister from a bear hug Rin moved towards Haru and reached down towards he belt, quickly removing the crest that symbolized the raven belonged to the Mikoshiba family and tossing it back to Sei. He explained that he wanted Haru to stay here with him at the palace, and that the rest of his friends could return at the earliest convenience, or with Sei for the wedding. Rin was making the request on the assumption that the ceremony would be held on their palace grounds and not the Mikoshiba’s, but he knew Gou would have it no other way.

\---------------------

Sei had long since left by nightfall and returned with his convoy back to his palace to begin planning for the wedding, Gou excitedly met with the palace event planner to do the same. Rin had offered a bath to Haru, suggesting he get cleaned up after their journey knowing he wouldn’t be able to resist the water. Rin took the opportunity alone to hide a tiny wooden box in one of the rocks at the edge of the pool. Laying down on one of the poolside canopy beds next to the fire pit, Rin tried to calm his nerves and pounding heart beat, which currently felt like it might beat right out of his chest. This was his one chance to do this properly and he wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. Looking up the sky he could see that it was almost time to go grab Haru for the evening, so he sat up unhurriedly and made his way back towards his study.

Just as the moon was in the perfect position, Rin invited Haru to join him in his private garden alone. He had had the pool constructed in just the correct way, so when the moon first hit the top of the water, it gave the illusion that it was flowing off into space. Haru looked positively mesmerized by the sight, just like Rin was mesmerized watching him enjoy the view. Even though the sun had set it was still the warm season so it was it was hot enough outside to justify going in the pool. Rin stripped down to his swimming clothes and waded into the water, extending his arm toward Haru, motioning for the smaller male to join him in the pool. Haru slowly stripped as well and does so cautiously, asking why Rin had decided to make Sei’s dowry his troupe as he swam towards him.

Rin signed at little at Haru’s forwardness, wondering why he had thought he could make this moment a little more romantic. “In all honesty it was an impulse decision, I just really enjoyed our time together last night. Like Kisumi said I’ve been interested in you since we were kids, and after yesterday I wanted to get to know you better.” Rin rubbed his neck in embarrassment but was surprised to see Haru looked upset with the statement and moved to run his hand through the raven’s locks while momentarily wondering if he might have misread the situation, until Haru spoke-

“I really enjoyed it too, I just wish I was a free man when you said that…” Rin was able to read between the lines of the statement as disappointed sapphire eyes looked away from him, avoiding eye contact. The hurt on his face demonstrating what he was thinking; even if he wanted to, Haru couldn’t willing choose be Rin’s if he already belonged to him on paper. This gave the prince another idea-

“Hey… Haru” Rin reached out to gently grab the his wrist, pulling him closer and reaching up to tilt Haru’s head towards him. “What would you and the troupe even do if you were set free, where would you go?”

“I’m not sure what everyone would do, probably find somewhere we could keep dancing together to earn a salary. None of us have anyone left at home waiting for us, plus we would most likely die before finding our previous group.” The statement held no anger or resentment, it was simply stated as reality.

“Well, do you think you would be okay staying here in the palace… with me?” Haru looked at Rin confused, of course they would stay in such a beautiful palace if the offer stood. Especially if Rin was suggesting they could earn an honest living. With that confirmation Rin took in a deep breath and reached towards the box he had hidden in the rocks, he had slowly moved them towards the hiding place while they talked. Haru looked a little shocked when Rin pulled out the box and opened it to reveal two gorgeous sapphire earrings.

“It’s kind of a tradition in my family for the man to offer a gift when he officially asks someone to date him… I picked the sapphire as a way to represent our bond to the Nile and the water that flows through it, and, if you accept this, to show the bond between us.” Rin was practically shaking he was so nervous, the concept had always seemed a little ridiculous to him so it must have seemed absurd to someone outside the family. But his father had presented his mother with a ruby earring the night he asked her, and his grandmother had received an opal, and they had been happy together ever since; if there was any chance the tradition was lucky he would stick with it.

“If you do accept it, it’s thought that a single earring should be worn by either partner on their left ear, a holding place before a ring on your left hand if that makes sense.” Rin was anxious as he asked but he could see Haru mulling the question over, so he continued. “If it makes you feel better, once I get your ownership papers from the Mikoshiba’s I’ll set you all free, but I’d be happy to pay you all as performers, as well as bakers or teachers or guards if you want. I just hope that once you’re free Haru, that you might choose to stay with me and be mine by choice.”

Rin’s intuition about why Haru was hesitating had been spot on, after hearing he could choose to stay with Rin by his own volition Haru happily accepted the earring.

“You certainly are a curious person Rin, I’m not sure why yet but being with you makes me feel like I could be happy again. I would be honoured to stay here in the palace with you.”

“…. Can I take that as a yes to going out with me as well?” Rin tensed a little, bracing himself for the potential rejection.

“You could take it that way, yes” Haru said, taking his turn to caress Rin’s face and force him to look him in the eyes. He actually laughed at Rin’s expression, he hadn’t realized just how much the young prince seemed to care for him. Rin looked up at Haru in shock, the laugh a joyous melody to his ears as all his worries dissipated as he moved to hug him.

Smiling tenderly now, Haru reached up to remove both of the red earrings he had received from the Mikoshiba’s as a mandatory part of their attire, placing them at the side of the pool. Turning back to face Rin, he tilted his head slightly allowed the prince to replace the earring on his left lob with the stunning sapphire piece.

“I know it sounds a little cheesy, but could you put mine in for me?” Rin asks stepping towards him. “It's also kind of part of the tradition that we put them in for one another…” Haru laughed again, saying his family had a lot of strange traditions, but reached for the piece in Rin’s hand and placed on his left ear regardless.

“There, I guess that means we share a bond now? One that everyone in your palace can see.”

Rin could hear the warmth in Haru’s voice as he spoke, the look on his face drawing Rin closer. He couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful man in front of him; he couldn’t believe he wasn’t dreaming. Rin's eyes were again drawn to the droplets of water running down Haru’s body. This time though, he reached out to follow one of their trails with his fingers, tracing it’s path from Haru’s shoulder down to the waters surface falling around the middle of his stomach. He hadn’t meant anything by the action; he just felt the urge to touch the man in front of him, as if to ensure he was real. But then he felt the smaller man quiver underneath his touch and the air around them changed. Rin looked up to see Haru’s eyes blown out and filled with desire, watching as his tongue flicked out to wet his lips.

The minimal distance between them began to feel electric, any love Rin had been feeling taking a back seat to the lust clouding his vision. Rin reached for Haru's shoulders and pulled him forward until their noses were just barely touching and Rin could feel Haru's breath against his lips. He pressed his forehead against the shorter man's; closing his eyes trying to calm down enough to make sure this was okay-

“I _really_ want to kiss you right now, but I didn’t exactly check if that was alright with you last time…” Rin could feel Haru’s pulse quicken and heard the faintest whimper leave his lips. Haru nodded gently, maintaining the contact between their foreheads.

“It’s most definitely all right…” Rin shuddered at the sound of Haru’s voice, it still had its velvety tone, but it was deeper, getting slightly raspier from desire. “and so is everything else after that.” Rin felt a growl rise in his throat at the second statement, need making him hard with desire as he lowered his lips to gently kiss Haru’s neck.

" _Fuck_ Haru, I want you." Rin mumbled against heated skin, his fingers brushing the insides of Haru's wrists before moving to rest them on his hips underneath the water. Haru moaned at the feeling, inadvertently moving forward and crashing their hips together. The approving sound and the feeling of Haru hard against him flicked a switch in Rin’s head, lust overriding all his other senses. He leaned in, nibbling at Haru's bottom lip with his teeth, tugging it back before kissing him harshly. Only pulling away again when they needed to breathe. Catching their breath their eyes met, and Rin thought he might just cum from the intensity of Haru's gaze... but that would be such a waste.

It was Haru who leaned in first the second time, pulling a dazed Rin in for another kiss as their lips danced together. Haru hands came up to entangle themselves in Rin’s wine-toned locks as Rin pushed him against the pool wall. Rin heard a groan escape Haru’s lips as his tongue slid inside his mouth, moving together deliciously as Haru tried to match Rin’s pace. Rin pressed into Haru harder when he moved to wrap his legs around Rin’s waist, now openly rolling against him. Haru's arms slowly slid up Rin's side until they were looped around his neck; hands clutching at the magenta locks. Rin separated his lips from Haru’s only to slide his tongue down the junction of his throat before pressing several open mouth kisses against his neck, sucking at his pulse when he felt him shudder beneath him. Haru ground against Rin harder out of sheer need for friction, the water making it difficult. Not that having Haru pressed against him firmly in the water didn’t feel amazing, but Rin wanted more, and he wasn’t sure that was going to happen in the pool.

“Haru. Fuck _Haru,_ we need to get out of the water.” Haru kissed Rin along his jaw up to his ear-

“It’ll hurt on the ground, just fuck me here, _please._ ” Rin almost melted when he heard Haru beg, he had no idea what it was doing to Rin’s head. Rin was panting heavily but at this rate they were both going to finish before their pants even came off, and again, that would just be a waste.

“No, not on the ground. The bed, there’s one right behind you. This garden is private, no one will interrupt us… c’mon let’s move.” Haru dropped his head to look behind him, having not noticed the giant bed behind them earlier. He let his legs fall back to the pool floor before pushing himself up, swaying his hips directly in Rin's face in the process. Rin bit his lip to keep himself from pulling the boy back into the water, quickly following him out of the pool.

He wrapped his arms around Haru’s waist from behind when they were next to the bed, pulling him close and kissing up the side of his neck. “You already have me wrapped around your finger, I’m yours. So is it okay if I make you mine?”

“I already told you yes” Haru ground his ass into Rin making sure the prince knew exactly what he was agreeing too. Haru turned around in Rin’s grip, kissing him gently before reaching down to push the last barrier between him and Rin’s rock hard member. Rin gasped, the sudden prickling of the night air making him shiver before he reached to strip Haru of his remaining clothes in return. Haru moaned appreciatively with the released tension, moving to wrap his arms around Rin's neck, kissing him deeply before moving his hands to Rin’s shoulders, suddenly pushing them down onto the bed.

They fell back gracelessly, knocking some of the wind out of Rin’s chest when Haru landed on top of him. But Haru quickly moved to straddle him, the sight of the younger male panting on top of him enough to take the rest of Rin’s breath away. He sat up, kissing and biting Haru’s lips gently before moving to kiss down his neck more sensuality, his hands roaming all over the lithe body above him until he reached his chest. He rolled one of his nipples between his fingers, his lips traveling to the other making Haru groan and arch into his touch. He licked the nub experimentally, and once he had Haru quivering above him he drew the now hardened nipple into his mouth and sucked harshly, causing a loud moan to escape Haru’s lips. 

Unable to take the pain/pleasure any longer, Haru pushed Rin back onto the bed, kissing down his throat towards his chest. He licked and nipped all the way down to the prince’s chest and stomach, pausing to press open mouth kisses and suck on his hipbone, leaving a tell-tale mark. Rin nearly chocked when he looked down seeing how deliciously close Haru was. By now he was delirious with need, precum leaking from his now throbbing member. Haru’s hand came up to stroke him lightly, his thumb moving to the slit of Rin’s cock.

“You’re so wet already… I want to taste you.”

Rin’s heart could have stopped at the statement; he had never been so turned on. Haru’s hands ran up and down his thighs, then moved to rub harsh circles into his hip and pelvic bones as his mouth licked at the sensitive skin of Rin’s inner thighs. Rin was practically shaking under Haru's ministrations, and had to bite his hand at the first tentative lick up his length to keep from shouting. Haru looked up at him then through his hair, smirking as Rin was already falling apart before he’d even begun.

Rin almost commented on the smirk but in turned into a loud moan as Haru bobbed down quickly onto him, taking him deep into his mouth caressing him with his tongue. It felt fucking incredible and Rin couldn’t help but dive his hands into Haru’s silky hair, gripping it tightly hearing the indecent sound of him working his lips on his cock. Haru moaned around his member, enjoying the heavy taste on his tongue as he moved.  Rin could feel the intense pleasure building in his gut as he arched his back up off the bed, thrusting his hips unconsciously driving his pulsing dick further and there was no complaint, no gag or flinch. Rin almost screamed when he felt Haru deep throat him.

He was going to cum but he wasn’t ready for this to end just yet so he quickly pulled Haru off of him, smashing their lips together instead. It was odd tasting himself on his lovers lips but he didn’t dislike it, moving to flip them so he was between Haru’s legs.

“It’s my turn, this might hurt a bit at first but I promise it’ll get better.” Rin moved to dip his hand into the jug of scented oils beside the bed, he hadn’t been positive this was the direction their night was going to turn, but he wanted to be prepared. He dragged his fingers along Haru’s torso before lowering them to his entrance, he was about to push one of his digits in but Haru grabbed his wrist. “Hold on Rin, stop for a second…”

Rin paused immediately, he was so turned on he was ready to burst, but if Haru had decided he wasn’t ready for this after all he needed to respect his wishes. They were equals now, and his word mattered as much as Rin’s.

“You don’t have to.” Haru said quietly, almost too low for Rin to hear. He was relieved to hear his lover was just being impatient, but this was their first time and he wanted it to be amazing for them both. Rin wasn’t going to hurt him by rushing things

“What… No of course I do, it’ll hurt otherwise, wait just a little longer.” Rin kissed his forehead as he moved to circle his entrance again.

“No, that’s not what I mean…” Rin looked at him confused then, and watched as Haru’s face turned beet red beneath him.

“Umm, earlier… in the bath… I was kind of hoping something like this would happen so…” Haru turned his head to the side, unable to maintain eye contact while Rin’s just went wide with realization, images of Haru fingering himself in preparation flooding his head.

“Oh _fuck_ Haru… what I wouldn’t give to watch you do that.” If the quivering man below him had already prepared himself that was another story, and Rin was happy to move things along. He moved to dip his hand in the oils again, this time using it to slick up his own cock before plunging three digits into Haru’s entrance, scissoring them to make sure he was stretched properly, curling his fingers to rub his prostate. Haru cried out and clutched at Rin’s shoulders at the intense feeling, whining when he removed his fingers. 

Rin leaned down to claim Haru’s lips harshly as he aligned himself with his puckered hole, pushing in slowly allowing Haru to adjust to the feeling. Haru knew this part was going to burn a little no matter how much preparation he’d done, but he also knew it would get a hell of a lot better the more he moved. Haru bit down on Rin’s lip and wrapped his legs around the older males waist, quickly pulling him in closer and making Rin thrust into him harshly. Rin moaned out loudly with Haru, having not expected the sudden movement. He paused for a moment, panting heavily as he looked down into eyes glazed over with lust.

Haru was covered with sweat, his abs glistening in the light of the fire, his chest steadily rising and falling as he panted. His hair was a mess, some tousled on the pillow and some sticking to his forehead. His cheeks were flushed red, his lips still swollen and wet from sucking him off. Rin almost came from the sight alone; Haru was by far the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

“ _Rin_ …Move, _please_!”

The way his name was said, laced with wanton lust, was enough to drive Rin insane. He thrust into the lithe body beneath him trying to find the perfect angle. Haru moaned when he did, and Rin smirked as he moved to roll his hips at a punishingly fast pace. All Haru could do was moan and chant his lovers name over and over as his prostate was hit with every thrust. Looking for anything to hold on to Haru ended up scratching down Rin’s back, drawing an intense groan from the man above him, it turned out he seemed to enjoy a little pain.

The feeling of Haru nails on his back had Rin driving into him harder and deeper. Their lips crashed together, tongues fighting for dominance before Rin dove down to Haru’s pulse as he licked and lapped at the sweat there, teased the flesh as his hips rocked even faster. His body tightened and tensed in anticipation, he was so close but he needed Haru to cum with him. Rin reached between them pumping Haru’s cock in time with his trusts. Haru shouted at the intensity, feeling his arousal start to tighten in his stomach, and suddenly it was unraveling and his vision went white as he came with a muted scream. Rin felt Haru’s body jerk and the hot splash of cum between them as Haru bit down on his shoulder making him loss control, his own cock twitching and spurting deep inside Haru.

Rin gently pulled out and collapsed next to Haru, pulling him close despite the fact that they were a sticky, sweaty mess. They lay there exhausted, Haru using Rin’s arm as a pillow as they let their heartbeats slowly drop back to normal. Rin traced aimless patterns all over Haru’s back as they listening to the water flow around them, and Rin couldn’t help but laugh.

“Rin?” Haru asked, sleepiness evident in his voice as he slowly moved to look up questioningly at his lover. 

“It’s nothing really, I’m just really happy, happier than I’ve been in a long time.” He smiled down at the gorgeous man in his arms and in that moment he thought he might just love him. Of course it was a little too early to say it out loud but the feeling it brought to his chest was comforting and warm.

“Wait… I just have one more question” Haru sounded half asleep when he spoke but to him it was an important question, and Rin couldn’t help but laugh a little when he asked what it was.

“If I’m yours now, but not your slave… does that mean we get to sleep in?” Rin’s eyes widened a little with how easily Haru said he was his as he looked up at him, but he laughed again at the question despite the tug he felt in his heart. Pulling Haru even closer he kissed the top of his head.

“Aha, yes Haru, that means you get to sleep in”

“That’s great… I haven’t been allowed to sleep since I was a kid” Haru feel asleep almost immediately after asking, curling up in Rin’s arms. Carful not to wake him, Rin left a note for his servants saying they shouldn’t be woken up before noon; if they were going to sleep in they might as well overdo it a little. Thinking about what expression Haru might have the next morning when he found out what time it was, Rin soon followed Haru’s lead drifted off to sleep.

\--------------------

A couple months had passed since that night, and the Matsuoka’s and Mikoshiba’s were already ready for a royal wedding, the young couple not wanting to wait any longer to be wed. Guests gathered at the Matsuoka’s palace for a refined, elegant wedding, it turned out Rin had been right about the location. Gou looked positively stunning walking down the isle in her dress, Rin could hardly believe that she had become such a strong, intelligent, beautiful young lady. Before passing her off to Sei at the alter Rin pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear-

“Dad would be so proud of you for sticking up for yourself and marrying your best friend, I know he’s smiling down on you guys right now and would love Sei as much as I do.” Gou just nodded, happy tears threatening to fall from her eyes if she spoke as Rin passed her to her fiery-haired fiancé.

“Welcome to the family Sei.”

Rin nodded in the ruby princes direction, and he returned the sentiment. Sei almost burst into tears upon seeing his bride-to-be coming down the aisle, and he wasn’t about to crack now. The rest of the ceremony was preformed beautifully, a clean kiss sealing the deal with all the guests tossing up flower petals in the couple’s honour as they walked hand in hand for the first time as man and wife. Nagisa’s troupe was given their first opportunity to perform as free citizens and did an absolutely phenomenal job, depicting the story of two star-crossed lovers brought together by fate.

Haru looked exhilarated after the performance, and was feeling especially bold after several glasses of wine he’d had over the course of the night. Searching out and finally locating his boyfriend, Rin walked over and hugged him from behind, noticing how intensely he was looking at the new couple. Haru leaned back into the hug, appreciating the recognizable warmth of his lover’s arms before turning a little to peck Rin on the cheek.

“Just so you know Rin, when we get married I refuse to wear a dress to the wedding, I would just look silly…”

Rin stared at the man in his arms in happy disbelief. Rin had be thinking he wanted to propose soon but it was the first time Haru had ever really stated that he was okay with the idea of marrying him too. Rin’s grip around Haru’s waist tightened slightly as he buried his face in the boys hair smiling and blushing to himself, this might be one of the single happiest days of his life…

 

Maybe it was time to start taking to the local jewellery smith about a ring?

 

The end!

**Author's Note:**

> Phew that maybe should have been more than a single chapter, but I was inspired and on a deadline XD I hope you all enjoyed :) 
> 
> Tumblr: https://sakuradreamscape.tumblr.com/


End file.
